Moose spend a good deal of time near water. Look for moose tracks in the soft or muddy ground at the water's edge. During winter months, moose use their hooves to scrape away the snow to get to the moss and lichen they eat when grasses and shrubs are less abundant You might find moose tracks in the snow. Their hooves work as snowshoes, preventing them from sinking too deeply into the snow as they travel.
Moose are the largest of the animals in the deer family. Their tracks are therefore the largest of those that look like deer tracks. Moose tracks average 5 to 7 inches in length and 4 to 5 inches in width. Hooves are long and narrow. They are rounded at the heel and become more pointed toward the tips. The edges of the track will be smooth, and the tracks leave an impression in soft ground that is sometimes a couple of inches deep.
To help accommodate their large size and weight, a moose's back hooves might separate slightly in the middle. This can cause the track to appear divided with the tips of the hooves angled away from one another. This separation helps the moose to stay stabilized and not sink too deeply into soft ground. Front hooves tend not to separate, and the tips of the hooves point forward instead of angled outward.
Moose hooves are not only used for helping moose to walk on soft ground and in the snow, but they are also used for defensive purposes. When a moose feels threatened, it can respond aggressively, using its hooves to inflict harm on other animals or people if they get too close. Moose are also protective of their calves. If you spot moose tracks accompanied by smaller tracks, you might be near a moose and her calf. In these cases, be careful not to come between the moose and her baby.
